Food Tastes Better With An Amazing View At Kimoto Rooftop In Brooklyn

The eclectic menu at Kimoto Rooftop in Downtown Brooklyn highlights American favorites with an Asian influence that are sophisticated in presentation and playful in concept.

1. Tuna Tartare

Over a bed of creamy, chunky guacamole is a generous portion of fresh raw tuna with pickled jalapeno and sesame seeds. Be sure to scoop up all the goodness on the plate, including the spicy aioli and the sweet soy sauce, with the crunchy, tri-colored tortilla chips on the side.

2. Tempura Basket

The tempura basket features crispy, hot-off-the-fryer tempura that ranges from shrimp to baby calamari in a skewer to potato croquette. The wasabi mayo and the sweet teriyaki sauces that come on the side pair perfectly well with the tempura.

3. Beef Bulgogi Tacos

This fusion dish highlights the cuisines of Mexico and Korea. Stuffed inside crunchy wonton shell are tender beef bulgogi with spicy kimchi slaw. The tacos are topped with thin slices of Asian pair, toasted sesame, and scallion.

4. Spicy Togarashi and Truffle & Parmesan Fries

The flavors of these delicious flavors are further enhanced with spicy togarashi (top) and truffle & parmesan. Perfect accompaniment to your main entrees, the fries have crispy exterior and moist interior.

5. Gochujang BBQ Wings

Forget all the chicken wings you have had in the past - the Gochujang BBQ Wings will completely change your mind! These wings have the crispiest skins with the juiciest meat. The spicy and sweet gochujang BBQ sauce make these wings even more addicting.

6. Kobe Beef Burger

These soft buns are lathered with generous amount of kimchi slaw at the bottom and gochujang bbq sauce on top. The juicy beef pattie is topped with white truffle oil and sprouts.

7. Crispy Pork Cutlet

The pieces of deep-fried pork cutlet are topped with kewpie mayonnaise sauce and red cabbage slaw.

Top 6 Mouthwatering Plates That Are Perfect For Sharing

Tucked behind a hidden entrance of a pawn shop, Beauty & Essex is NYC’s “must visit” restaurant that boasts innovative dishes served in a glamorous ambiance.

1. Tuna Poke Wonton Tacos ($17)

Blanketed in between crunchy wonton taco shells are fresh, raw tuna marinated in soy sauce and topped with micro cilantro, julienne radish, a dash of sesame seeds, and wasabi kew pie.

2. Crab Rangoon ($17)

A generous serving of warm jumbo lump crab sits on top of crispy crab crackers, and topped with sweet Thai chili pearls, thinly sliced greens, and a dollop of rich aioli.

3. Grilled Peach & Housemade Ricotta ($13)

Perfect treat for the spring, the grilled toast is decorated with a spread of creamy ricotta and grilled peach with a drizzle of chili honey and basil.

4. Braised Short Ribs ($27)Braised Short Ribs ($27)

Three pieces of tender short ribs topped with pickled pearl onion lays on top of rich, creamy morel mushroom risotto with grilled asparagus.

5. Mushroom Crusted Sea Scallops ($32)

The perfectly seared jumbo sea scallops maintain their plump, juicy interior. They are served with lemon truffled leeks, yukon gold potato puree, and thyme.

6. Box of Doughnuts ($14)

Can’t decide between fruity and chocolatey? Then have both! Three pieces each of fluffy, warm vanilla beignets are filled with chocolate hazelnut creme or raspberry jam.

Eat Your Way Through The Mission District, The Gourmet Ghetto Of San Francisco

Affectionately called the “Gourmet Ghetto,” San Francisco’s Mission District is home to some of the most popular restaurants, bakeries, and other famed food destinations in the city. Here is your ultimate guide to enjoying some of the best bites in the neighborhood!

Before You Begin…Do Your Research!

For newbies who are unfamiliar with the neighborhood, getting around Mission District can be a bit overwhelming. While searching for top restaurants on Google, Yelp, or TripAdvisor may yield some results, I would recommend participating in one of many walking food tours of the neighborhood to rely on the knowledge of the locals, to avoid tourist traps, and to experience Mission District at its fullest. My personal favorite, Avital Food Tours, is a comprehensive, 3-hour journey through Mission District’s top culinary spots with a chance to meet the chefs/owners, mingle with other foodies, and learn a bit of history and interesting facts about each destination. Without further ado, here are some of my favorite bites in Mission District.

Pork Belly Breakfast Taco from West of Pecos

Served on top of soft, warm flour tortilla, the Pork Belly Breakfast Taco from West of Pecos is topped with a thick piece of maple-glazed, caramelized pork belly, cheesy scrambled egg, pico de gallo, chipotle aioli, and a creamy slice of avocado with a sprinkle of shredded cheese. West of Pecos can accommodate those with dietary restrictions (i.e. gluten free, vegetarian, etc.). As an added bonus, if you are lucky, you might get a chance to meet Tyler MacNiven, the restaurant’s quirky, flamboyant owner who also won Season 9 of The Amazing Race!

A Flight of Cheese from Mission Cheese

Mission Cheese

You have probably been to a wine bar, but have you heard of a cheese bar? Mission Cheese has revolutionized the way we conceive cheese. This petite café serves in American artisan cheese, house-made charcuterie, and California beer and wine in a cozy, inviting atmosphere. Enjoy a wide selection of American cheese with charcuterie like pork pate or duck rillettes from the counter bar while sipping a glass of beer.

Quesadillas De Calabaza from Gracias Madre

As a cuisine that utilizes cheese as the main ingredient in many of its dishes, Mexican food is often not appropriate for vegans and those who are lactose-intolerant. But at the vegan Mexican restaurant, Gracias Madres, you can find tasty options that even meat lovers go crazy about. The vegan Quesadillas De Calabaza in homemade masa is stuffed with caramelized onion and butternut squash seasoned with cayenne pepper, and topped with a generous pour of cashew nacho cheese sauce and pumpkin seeds for the perfect balance of creamy and crunchy.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream from Bi-Rite Creamery

The final stop of the culinary journey through Mission District is the much famed ice cream shop beloved locals and tourists alike. No matter the time of the day or the time of the season, you will find a long line of people outside Bi-Rite Creamery, waiting for a scoop of its rich, creamy ice cream. Made by hand in small batches, theSalted Caramel Ice Cream highlights intense, rich caramel flavor with a hint of salt.

Baked Soft-Shell Crab Tacos and Amazing Salmon from EVOO Restaurant

It's my personal "rule" to try a restaurant at least once other than during Restaurant Week season because the experiences you get during RW cannot justify the real quality of the restaurant. I visited EVOO Restaurant for Restaurant Week over the summer, and really enjoyed the bluefish entree that I had. I decided to go again, and this time we were seated inside.

EVOO prints a new menu every day (it may or may not serve the same/similar entrees), depending on what ingredients are freshest in the market. My friend went for the Sockeye Salmon ($16), which was served with Corn Risotto, Grilled Zucchini, and Nectarine-Basil Relish. I had a bite of it and it was absolutely phenomenal! The corn risotto was the same recipe as the one used in my bluefish entree from last time. The sweet nectarine-basil relish complemented the juicy, savory salmon extremely well.

I have been craving soft-shell crab for quite some time, so I opted for the Soft-Shell Crab Tacos ($15) with black beans and rice. Instead of having the crab fried, as is done traditionally, I asked the chef if it could be baked instead. Granted that it took forever for my entree to arrive, the result was not disappointing.

The baked soft-shell crab was smothered in slightly spicy, tomato-based sauce that was a bit too overpowering. The crab was layered on top of soft corn tortillas, tomato salsa with cabbage and lots of basil. Yum.

The corn tortilla was lightly toasted for the crunchy taste, but it got soggy really quickly because of water from the cabbage.

The soft-shell crab had plenty of "meat" inside, but it would have been a lot tastier if it was baked in the over for a little longer. I could have waited ;)

The Mexican rice and black beans weren't anything special. Overall, the dish probably didn't taste as good if it had been fried, but hey, I saved a lot of calories. Room for dessert?

Dairy-Free, Cheeseless Affair at Dos Caminos in Midtown, NYC

As someone who is lactose-intolerant, I don't particularly enjoy Mexican cuisine, which tends to be heavy in its use of dairy like cheese and cream. That is why when I dine with a group who wants Mexican food, I usually browse through the menu to ensure that there is at least one item that doesn't use cheese. On a sunny Sunday morning, I went to Dos Caminos, a modern Mexican restaurant in Midtown East, New York City.

My eyes immediately averted from items like quesadillas and enchiladas. I decided to try the traditional Pollo Tacos ($16), served on warm, handmade corn tortillas with Mexican rice, refried beans, and a trio of salsas.

Unlike tacos from Taco Bells, which are packed with string-y, yellow "fake" cheese, traditional Mexican tacos do not have cheese. Instead, packed inside the warm corn tortillas were grilled, citrus-marinated chicken, pinto beans, chicken chicharron, and salsa suprema. I was a big fan of the marinated chicken because it was tender and juicy. The seasoning was slightly spicy. Chicken chicharron, or fried chicken rinds, oozed a lot of oil and fat to the bottom of the tortillas and made them soggy.

The dish on the left is Mexican Chopped Salad ($11.50), which includes grilled corn, poblano chiles, apples, pinto beans, green olives, tomato, onion, and anejo cheese with crispy tortillas on top and tossed with toasted cumin vinaigrette. The dish on the right is Carnitas Tacos ($16), packed with slow-roasted pork and green chile salsa.

The Carnitas Tacos didn't seem as greasy or oily as my Pollo tacos, but they also didn't appear as filling. The basil on top added a nice touch of flavor.

The Dos Caminos Chicken Cobb Salad ($14) was a colorful array of grilled chicken breast, tomato, avocado, corn, onion, queso fresco, and tortilla chips and tossed with cilantro-basil vinaigrette. Now that I reflect, all of the dishes could be made dairy-free if we skipped the cheese! Mexican cuisine is possible for lactose-intolerant people :)

Carnivore's Heaven at Cook Out NYC

While looking for a fun event to enjoy with my brother this weekend, I came across Cook Out NYC, a second annual outdoor grilling event that features food samples from different restaurants in New York, unlimited beer, live music, and kimchi-eating contest. The 10-minute ferry ride to Governor's Island led us to the event location. Peaking at 103 degrees, it was the hottest day of the summer, but I could care less at the site of all the food under the tents!

The event sponsor tents were along the side of the venue. Normally, these would be crowded as well, but not at Cook Out NYC because people were more interested in getting cooked food rather than packaged KIND bars, Pop Chips, etc.

They opened the venue right at 11:30am. People swarmed in to try out all the food! Here, a grill master from Zio is cooking pork belly! I felt bad for him...he must be sweltering right next to the fire!

The event also included a food competition in which the visitors as well as judges critiqued the food items and chose their favorites.

Pork Belly and Fig. I don't eat pork, but my brother said the meat was really fatty and didn't enjoy it very much.

So many sausages!!! I wish they were bite-size instead.

Cajun Ken & the Penthouse Boys served BBQ Chicken and Sausage with "XXX" & Slap My Cajun Ass Creole Hot Sauces.

The chicken and the sausage was slightly dry without the BBQ sauce.

The burnt part from the grill was so delish!

...well, maybe not that burnt. Oops!

This is John Brown Smokehouse aka "Brisket King of NYC" Grilled Lamb Sausage with Spicy Slaw. The lamb sausage had denser texture than regular sausages.

Skirt Steak with Vinegary Slaw and Jalapeno Relish

Yum! I loved the slaw and the juicy, tender brisket.

Mama O’s Spicy Kimchi and Bar Bruno’s Taco served Spicy Kimchi Tacos.: Marinated hanger steak,grilled and served in a warm corn tortilla topped with kimchi,pico de gallo and grated radish. They really should have put a warning sign because even without the extra habanero or chipotle sauce, the taco was extremely spicy!

My mouth was absolutely burning for a long time...The tacos lost all of their flavors because the kimchi was extremely spicy. Good thing they were selling bottles of water ($2 each) right next to the booth! This taco won “The Food High Award” presented by two food writers.

Sliders from STK OUT, a burger establishment in Midtown West, were exiquisite! It took a while for the burgers to be served, but these treats were well worth the wait.

Medium-rare beef topped with cheese, a pickle, and a tomato are in between black sesame-topped buns. The patty was great quality, and the buns were toasted on a grill as well.

Another great burger! This is Alobar's Ground Wild Boar Burger with Green Salsa, which took home people's choice award for Best Slider. The burgers were full-size so my brother and I decided to share one, but it was so tasty that we both went for seconds.

I have never had a wild boar burger before. It tasted similar to turkey burger, but much more flavor and juicier. The green salsa definitely made the burger 100 times better.

Just really dry hamburger patty on a boring bun...not impressed at all.

Simultaneously happening with Cook Out NYC was a hot dog competition with six stations featuring Sabrett’s Hot &Spicy Hot Dogs with toppings from Sir Kensington Ketchup, My Friend’s Mustard, Sabrett’s Classic Onion Sauce, Chili from Lucky 777 Chili, a kimchi dog, and a special entry by Chef Josetth Gordon. The winners were decided by popular vote at the end of the event. This dog is from My Friend's Mustard: Sabrett’s Hot and Spicy Frankfurter topped with Tomatillo-Radish Slaw & Agave-Sixpoint IPA Mustard. It won 3rd place in the contest.

The Judge's choice award went to Rich Pinto Catering for its Vietnamese-inspired hot dog.

Not sure what this is...doesn't look too appetizing.

Chef Josetth's Piquant Celery Slaw with Currants won Best Sabrett’s Hot Dog topping on Saturday. People must have liked the cool, crisp texture of celery on such a hot day.

BBQ drumstick in some sort of sweet sauce. I try to eat chicken breast because it's healthier, but I have to admit that drumstick and thigh are the best parts of chicken :)

Pulled Pork Tacos with Cilantro, Tomatillo in soft corn tortilla. The meat was a little dry.

Jimmy’s No. 43's Sirloin steak with chimichurri sauce was the WINNER of "Best in Show." Hmm I can't agree with the decision at all because I thought the sirloin was flavorless and dry, while the green chimichurri sauce was plain oily.

Grilled Cheese...such a comfort food! Unlike other grilled cheese I've had, this one was not too greasy. Inside the toasty bread is a mixture of gruyere and other cheese with caramelized onions.

The heat from all the grilling probably raised the nearby temperature by 5 degrees...regardless, I really enjoyed the afternoon in the sun while dining out on lots and lots of grilled food!